Sheet Metal Fabrication for Aerospace & Defense
K-Display's aerospace and defense sheet metal fabrication produces ground support equipment frames, test stands and instrument racks, covers, and brackets. The stands and racks go to prime contractors and the equipment builders that supply them.
Ground support frames, test stands, and covers for aerospace and defense
Ground support equipment (GSE) is the equipment that services an aircraft or system on the ground: maintenance stands, test stands, instrument racks, and the covers and brackets that go with them. These parts are sheet metal fabrication for aerospace and defense contractors, cut, formed, and welded from carbon steel, stainless steel, or aluminum, then fitted with studs, nuts, hinges, and latches and powder coated. Where DFARS 252.211-7003 flows down to your contract, delivered items at $5,000 or more in unit acquisition cost, and the serially managed items and embedded subassemblies the contract lists, carry an item unique identification mark, and MIL-STD-130 supplies the marking criteria.
The shelf rails and the rack's mounting holes are located from the same frame members, so a shelf fitted to the frame lands on its pattern. Leveling feet under the frame hold that pattern square on a hangar floor.
What we make for aerospace and defense
- Ground support equipment frames
- Welded frames for maintenance stands, with base plates, mounting plates, and gussets welded in.
- Test stands and instrument racks
- Test stand frames and shelved racks that carry the instrument or unit under test, with mounts for sensors and cable rails.
- Covers and panel assemblies
- Formed covers and access panels for ground equipment, with removable connector plates that seat on a repeated flange pattern.
- Ground power boxes
- Boxes with conduit entries, an internal mounting panel, and a bonding stud, for the ground power connection at a stand or shelter.
- Brackets, trays, and mounting plates
- Formed brackets and trays that locate equipment in shelters, vehicles, and racks, drilled to the fastener pattern of the mating structure.
What aerospace and defense jobs require
- Drawing revision and quantities
- The revision each part is built to, matched to the purchase order, and the quantity per assembly.
- Finish callouts
- Powder coat color and texture, the cosmetic faces, and the masking boundaries drawn on each part, with a color sample or product reference when the match matters.
- Marking content and location
- The method (label, decal, or silk-screen), the text or artwork, and the datum the mark is placed from, including any item unique identification mark.
- Connector and instrument part numbers
- The part number of each connector and panel-mounted instrument, and the panel thickness it mounts in.
- Bonding points
- The location and stud size of each bond on boxes and covers, and the surfaces that stay bare.
- Mating structure
- The fastener pattern of the shelter, vehicle, or rack that each bracket mounts to.
The plate is fastened along its edge to the flange, and the marking area sits beside the fasteners on the same face. A label or decal stays readable when no fastener head or flange edge crosses it.
How aerospace and defense work runs
Cut, form, and weld
We laser cut the blanks with their cutouts and hole patterns in place, form them, and weld the frames, racks, and boxes.
Hardware first, then powder coat
We install the hardware, mask the bonding surfaces and threads, and powder coat. The bonding surfaces come out bare and the threads stay clear.
Marking, assembly, and kits
We apply the labels, decals, or silk-screened marks at the location on your drawing, assemble the parts, and kit and pack them by part number.